Dartmouth Faculty Parental and Pregnancy Leave Policy

Policy Statement

Dartmouth provides paid leave for most benefits-eligible faculty for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child or children. This includes parental leave for parents and pregnancy leave for birth-parents. Faculty whose appointments are supported primarily by research funds should contact their Dean or department head/supervisor to determine eligibility. The purpose of this leave is to enable faculty members to care for and bond with a newborn, a newly adopted, or newly placed foster child.

For the purposes of this policy, a 'parent':

• Is pregnant or has given birth to a child, further defined as a birth-parent;
• Is a spouse or partner of a birth-parent; 
• Has adopted a child;
• Has received a foster placement. 

Parental leave benefit

For the purposes of parental leave, a child is an individual who is under 18 years of age or who is 18 years of age or older and is enrolled in primary or secondary school or is incapable of self care because of a disability.

For parental leave, benefits-eligible faculty at Arts and Sciences, Thayer, and Tuck may take a one-term leave within a 12-month period at 100% of their pay without loss of seniority or benefits. This leave term includes a course release. Benefits-eligible clinical faculty at Tuck will be treated equivalently to tenure-track faculty adjusting as appropriate to their course load and FTE%.

Benefits-eligible faculty at Geisel are given 12 weeks of flexible time off within a 12-month period at 100% of their pay without loss of seniority or benefits. This period may begin four weeks before the expected arrival of a child or children and is intended to be used as parental leave and pregnancy leave combined. For example a faculty member could take:

• 12 weeks at 0% effort,
• 10 weeks at 0% effort plus 4 weeks at 50% effort in a time period contiguous with the previous 10 weeks, or
• Other combinations as discussed with their Dean and department head/supervisor.

Pregnancy leave benefit

Pregnancy leave is available to birth-parents who are benefits-eligible faculty at Arts and Sciences, Thayer, and Tuck. Birth-parents may take a one-term leave within a 12-month period at 100% of their pay without loss of seniority or benefits. This leave term includes a course release and may be taken in combination with parental leave. Benefits-eligible clinical faculty at Tuck will be treated equivalently to tenure-track faculty adjusting as appropriate to their course load and FTE%.

Taking leave

There is no waiting period for benefits-eligible faculty who wish to take parental leave and/or pregnancy leave. Parental leave and pregnancy leave, taken separately or combined, must be completed within a 12-month period and before the child or children turn(s) one year old. Multiple births, adoptions, or placements (e.g., the birth of twins) does not increase the total amount of paid parental leave benefit in a 12-month period.

Extensions of the timeline for reappointment or tenure review are granted for parental leave and/or pregnancy leave as detailed in each school's faculty handbook, linked below in Related Information. Parental leave and pregnancy leave do not count towards sabbatical accrual.

Faculty who wish to take parental leave and/or pregnancy leave should talk with their Dean and department head/supervisor in advance to work out coverage of faculty obligations. If more than one Dartmouth faculty member is a parent of the same child or children, they each receive their own benefit and may take parental leave and/or pregnancy leave concurrently or separately. Deans and department heads/supervisors are expected to support faculty to take parental leave and/or pregnancy leave and work with faculty to find coverage for their faculty obligations.

Benefits-eligible faculty at Arts and Sciences, Thayer, and Tuck may take parental leave and pregnancy leave consecutively or with a break in between (in term-long increments) as long as their leave is completed within a 12-month period and before their child or children turn(s) one year old.

Benefits-eligible faculty at Geisel may be able to take leave intermittently or on a reduced schedule basis. In cases where intermittent leave is approved, it can be taken in no less than half-day increments and must be completed within a 12-month period and before their child or children turn(s) one year old.